George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 


DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 
COLONEL  FLOWERS 


THIRD  CREEK  CHURCH, 


Rowan  County,  N..C, 


•BY  THE- 


2X6U.      (a.  Ramsay,  3/t. 


-READ  AT  THE- 


CENTENNIAL,  MAY  I3TH,  1892. 


PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST  OF  THE  SESSION. 


CONCORD,  N.  C: 

THE  TIMES  BOOK  AND  JOB  FRESSES. 
1892. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


THIRD  CREEK  CHURCH 


Rowan  County,  N.  C, 


■BY  THE- 


2Kort.      Sc.  Ramsay,  3/t. 


-READ  AT  THE- 


CENTENNIAL,  MAY  I3TH,  1892. 


PUBLISHED  BY  REQUEST  OF  THE  SESSION. 


CONCORD,  N.  C: 
THE  TIMES  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRESSES. 

1892. 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


From  the  most  reliable  data  accessible  to  us  we  have 
arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  Third  Creek  church  was 
organized,  at  its  present  location,  in  1792 — one  hundred 
years  ago — probably  in  May  of  that  year.  We  speak 
somewhat  inferentially  because  the  records  of  this  church, 
prior  to  the  year  1837,  have  been  lost;  and  the  records 
of  Orange  Presbytery,  to  which  this  church  belonged 
before  Concord  was  set  off  from  Orange  in  1796,  were 
destroyed  by  fire  at  Hillsboro,  in  1827,  except  one 
volume,  embracing  the  years  from  1795  to  1712,  to 
which  we  have  not  had  access. 

That  there  was  a  place  of  preaching,  probably,  a 
meeting  house  or  stand  here  or  in  this  immediate  vicin- 
ity, long  before  there  was  a  church  organization,  is  not 
a  matter  of  any  doubt.  Almost  the  whole  of  the  south- 
ern part  of  this  State,  from  Duplin,  near  the  mouth  of 
Cape  Fear  River,  to  the  Quaker  meadows,  then  in 
Rowan,  now  in  Burke  county,  was  dotted  over  with 
Presbyterian  settlements,  in  the  early  years  of  the  last 
centur}-.  The  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Rumple,  in  his  histoiw  of 
Rowan  count\r  (page  335)  informs  us  that  the  Rev.  John 
Thompson,  who  came  into  this  region  as  early  as  1751, 
and  settled  near  Center  church,  and  preached  at  Fourth 
Creek  and  various  other  stations  in  Rowan,  for  about 
two  3rears,  "had  a  preaching  place  near  where  Third 
Creek  church  now  is."  When  the  Evangelist,  Hugh 
McAden,  traversed  this  section  in  1755  he  found  Pres- 
byterian settlements,  meeting  houses  and  churches,  all 
along  his  route  through  Rowan,  which  then  embraced 
the  whole  of  the  north-western  part  of  the  State.  He 
preached  at  Thyatira,  then  called  Cathey's  meeting 
house;  lodged  with  a  Mr.  Brandon,  whom  he  styled  one 
of  his  "own  countrymen,"  with  John  Andrews,  James 
Allison  and  John  Luckey — men  who  may  have  wor- 
shipped here,  and  who  doubtless  worshipped  at  Thya- 
tira, and  Fourth  Creek,  at  that  time.  Dr.  J.  R.  B.  Adams, 
of  Statesville,  has  in  possession  a  short  manuscript, 
written  by  his  grandfather,  James  Adams,  Sr.,  stating 
that  he  taught  a  school  at  this  place,  in  1764;  and 
tradition  sa3^s,  the  school  house  stood  where  the  old 
session  house  was  situated,  which  was  inside  of  the 
grave  yard,  as  at  present  enclosed.  Dr.  Adams  also 
learned  from  his  grandfather,  through  his  father,  that 


THE  FLOWERS  COLLECTION 


(3) 

Andrew  Morrison,  who  was  reckoned  one  of  the  first 
elders  of  this  church,  and  who  resided  near  where  Mr. 
John  H.  Carson  now  lives,  attended  church  at  Fourth 
Creek  (now  Statesville)  when  Rev.  Elihu  Spencer  or- 
ganized the  church  there,  in  1764,  and  invited  Mr. 
Spencer  to  preach  at  the  school  house  here. 

There  was  a  preaching  place  and  burying  ground 
here  before  the  Revolutionary  war.  One  of  the  deacons 
of  this  church.  Mr.  Wm.  A.  Luckey,  Jr.,  has  in  possess- 
ion a  collection  of  manuscript  sermons,  written  by  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Lyle,  a  seceder  minister,  and  great  grand- 
father of  Mrs.  Luckey.  One  of  these  sermons  bears  the 
inscription,  ''3rd  Creek,  May  10th,  1775, "  and  was 
doubtless  preached  here  at  that  time.  It  can  scarcely 
be  doubted  that  Dr.  McCorkle  of  Thyatira,  and  Dr. 
Hall  of  Fourth  Creek,  who  were  ordained  in  1777  and 
1778,  respectively',  preached  here  during  the  closing 
years  of  the  war  for  Independence.  At  any  rate  tradi- 
tion informs  us  that  after  preaching  on  a  certain  sab- 
bath, in  the  year  1781,  volunteers  were  called  for  to 
meet  Cornwallis,  at  that  time  invading  the  State.  That 
there  was  a  burying  place  here  then  also  is  attested 
by  tomb  stones  still  standing — one  of  which  bears  the 
inscription  1  'June,  1776." 

Organiza  tion . 

Although  we  cannot,  for  the  reasons  given,  fix  upon 
the  exact  date  of  the  church  organization  here,  we 
learn  from  the  first  deed  made  to  the  congregation  (the 
original  copy  of  which  is  still  preserved,  and  here  to- 
day) that  there  existed  here  a  meeting  house,  a  session 
house,  a  graveyard,  and  a  congregation  of  the  Presby- 
terian faith  on  the  fourth  day  of  May,  1792.  From 
that  deed  we  extract  as  follows,  viz : 

"To  all  Christian  people,  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come, 
Samuel  Young  of  Rowan  county,  in  the  State  of  North  Carolina, 
sends  greeting.  Know  ye  that  the  said  Samuel  Young  for  and  in 
consideration  of  the  love,  affection  and  regard,  which  he  hath  and 
doth  bear  to  the  society  of  Christians,  known  by  the  name  of  Third 
Creek  congregation,  in  the  county  aforesaid,  of  the  Presbyterian 
Faith,  hath  given,  granted  bargained,  sold,  aliened,  enfeoffed  and 
confirmed  unto  Samuel  Luckey,  George  Niblock,  Thomas  Dickey,  all 
of  the  said  congregation  in  the  county  and  State  aforesaid*  *  *  Trus- 
tees of  said  congregation,  by  said  Samuel  Young  appointed,  and 
their  successors  in  office,  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  said  congregation, 
for  the  public  worship  of  God,  and  burial  of  their  deadf  and  to  and 
for  no  other  use,  purpose  or  intent  whatsoever,  all  that  plot  or 


(4) 


messuage  of  ground,  situated  on  the  ridge  between  Third  and  Fourth 
Creek,  in  the  county  and  State  aforesaid  *  *  *  containing  in  the  whole, 
one  acre  and  nine  square  perches,  including  the  now  standing  meeting 
house,  session  house  and  grave  yard ;  together  with  the  liberty  6i 
using  the, water  of  the  next  adjoining  spring,  on  the  south  side  of 
said  meeting  house*  *  *  In  witness  whereof  the  said  Samuel  Young 
hath  hereunto  set  his  hand  and  seal,  the  fourth  day  of  May,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-two. 

Samuel  Young." 

In  the  presence  of 

J  as.  Brandon,  Jr.,  ( 

Samuel  Woodside.  / 

We  fix  upon  the  date  of  this  deed,  as  the  time  when 
this  church  was  organized,  because  at  that  time  there 
was  here  a  meeting  house,  a  session  house,  a  grave 
yard  and  a  congregation  of  the  Presbyterian  faith  with 
Samuel  Lucke}-,  George  Niblock,  Thomas  Dicke}r  and 
doubtless  others,  members  of  the  same;  and  that  there 
was  a  session  it  is  fair  to  infer,  from  the  existence  of  a 
session  house.  These  were  all  that  were  essential  to 
a  church  organization.  Samuel  Young  died  in  1793. 
He  was  a  liberal,  gifted,  benevolent  and  patriotic 
man.*  Dr.  Rumple,  in  his  history  (page  132)  says: 
"Air.  Young  evinced  his  Presbyterianism,  in  his  will,  by 
providing  a  sum  to  purchase  for  each  of  his  children  a 
Bible  and  a  Westminister  Confession  of  Faith." 
Pastors  and  Supplies. 
The  Rev.  Joseph  Dickey  Kilpatrick  was  the  first 
pastor  of  Third  Creek  church  of  which  we  have  any 
knowledge.  Tradition  says,  he  was  born  near  Poplar 
Tent,  Cabarrus  county,  in  this  State,  October  8,  1763, 
and  that  his  childhood  and  youth  were  spent  there,  and 
in  the  Waxhaw  settlement  in  South  Carolina.  In  the 
latter  place  he  received  most  of  his  classical  education, 
probably,  at  the  Humphrie  Academy,  where,  it  is  said, 
he  and  Andrew  Jackson  were  cotemporary  students. 
While  there,  about  the  time  he  attained  his  majority. 
Mr.  Kilpatrick  married  Miss  Margaret  Dickey,  and 
soon  afterwrards  returned  to  Rowan  in  this  State. 
Feeling  called  to  preach  the  Gospel,  he  commenced  the 
study  of  theology  under  the  the  direction  of  Rev.  James 
Hall,  D.  D.  We  are  not  informed  when  he  was  licensed 
and  ordained.  His  ordination,  however,  was  alter  he 
had  attained  his  twenty-ninth  \-ear,  and  must  have  oc- 
curred in  1792,  or  intheearly  part  of  1793,  as  his  name 
*See  Wheeler's  History  of  North  Carolina,  pp.  359,  379. 


\ 


(5) 

appears  for  the  first  time  on  the  roll  of  the  Synod  of 
the  Carolinas,  in  the  fall  of  the  latter  year.  (Foote's 
sketches,  page  338).  He  settled  about  one  and  a  half 
miles  northeast  of  this  church,  on  the  land  now  owned 
by  Mr.  James  F.  Johnston,  where,  in  addition  to  his 
pastoral  duties,  he  taught  a  classical  school  in  the 
early  part  of  this  centur}'.  No  vestige  now  remains  of 
the  building  in  which  he  lived  except  a  few  of  the 
foundation  stones. 

Mr.  Kilpatrick  preached  at  Joppa  (now  Mocksville) 
and  at  Old  and  New  Unity,  and  Back  Creek,  in  con- 
nection with  Third  Creek.  He  was  released  from 
Joppa  in  1796;  from  Old  Unity  in  1800;  from  New 
Unity  in  1825  and  from  Back  Creek  and  Third  Creek 
only  by  his  death,  which  occurred  Sept.  20,  1829,  in 
the  66th  year  of  his  age.  His  son,  the  Rev.  Josiah  J, 
Kilpatrick  preached  his  funeral  on  the  7th  of  the  next 
month,  from  Exodus  xxxm,  18,  "I  beseech  thee,  shew 
me  thy  glory."  His  remains  lie  in  yonder  graveyard, 
immediately  north  of  the  place  where  the  old  log  church 
then  stood,  and  just  behind  the  pulpit  in  a  spot  said  to 
have  been  selected  by  himself.  A  plain,  upright  marble 
marks  the  place,  inscribed  "for  35  years  pastor  of  Third 
Creek  church."  Mrs.  Kilpatrick  survived  him  until 
1834,  when  her  remains  were  laid  near  his  side.* 

On  the  8th  of  April,  1830,  Concord  Presbytery  met 
at  Thyatira,  and  passed  the  following  preamble  and 
resolution : 

"Whereas,  it  has  pleased  the  Great  Head  of  the 
church,  to  remove  by  death,  since  our  last  stated  ses- 
sions, our  aged  and  worthy  brother,  Rev.  Joseph  D. 
Kilpatrick;  Resolved,  That  Presb3rtery  with  due  sub- 
mission to  the  Divine  will,  express  their  veneration  for 
his  memory;  and  for  his  piety,  zeal  and  fidelity  now 
manifested  in  his  long  and  successful  labors  in  the 
church  of  Christ." 

The  Rev.  William  Henry  Foote,  in  his  sketches  of 
North  Carolina  (page  359)  speaking  of  Third  Creek, 

*Mr.  Kilpatrick  died  while  absent  from  hom^  in  company  with 
his  wife,  who  was  not  able  to  attend  thefuneral.  The  funeral  cortege 
arrived  late  in  the  evening  at  the  church,  and  the  people  held  "the 
wake"  there  for  the  night.  No  minister  being  present  next  day,  the 
large  concourse  of  people  interred  the  body  with  appropriate  relig- 
ious services  of  their  own. 


(6) 

sa3'S  :  "It  has  been  from  the  first  a  flourishing  congre- 
gation. Under  the  pastoral  labors  of  the  Rev.  Joseph 
D.  Kilpatrick,  it  enjoyed  numerous  times  of  refreshing 
from  on  High.  While  McCorkle  stood  in  doubt 
about  the  great  excitement,  which  began  in  1801,  in 
Orange,  Kilpatrick's  heart  grew  warm,  and  with  many 
of  his  people  he  went  to  take  part  in  the  great  meeting 
in  Randolph.  *  *  *  It  is  evident  that  they  (i.  e.  the 
excitements  and  exercises)  never  gave  him  any  trouble. 
If  he  could  only  see  his  people  cultivating  what  he  es- 
teemed a  proper  religious  feeling,  it  mattered  little  to 
him  what  external  motions  came  with  it.  Some  little 
time  before  his  death,  at  a  communion  service  in  his 
congregation,  a  great  excitement  prevailed,  and  as  cries 
for  merc\T  and  prayer  arose  on  all  sides  of  the  house, 
during  an  interval  of  preaching,  the  old  gentleman, 
witnessing  the  excitement  for  a  time,  turned  to  a  young 
gentleman  from  Virginia  and  said,  "It  does  my  heart 
good  to  hear  these  young  people  pray  so." 

In  the  spring  of  1797  Concord  Presbytery  met  at 
Sugar  Creek  and  appointed  Mr.  Kilpatrick  commis- 
sioner to  the  General  Assembly,  and  on  the  26th  day  of 
September,  of  same  year,  it  held  its  sessions  here,  for 
the  first  time.  Mr.  Kilpatrick  was  chosen  Moderator 
and  Thomas  Porter  represented  this  church  as  its  Elder. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Kilpatrick  the  congregation 
was  vacant  for  about  a  year.  In  October,  1830,  the 
Rev.  Andrew  Y.  Lockridge,  a  licentiate  of  Lexington 
Presbyter}^,  Va.,  visited  the  congregation  upon  invita- 
tion, and  on  the  25th  of  May,  1832,  was  ordained  and 
installed  pastor  of  Third  Creek  and  Back  Creek,  one- 
half  of  his  time  at  each  church.  This  connection  con- 
tinued until  1837,  when  Back  Creek  employed  him  for 
the  whole  of  his  time. 

Camp  meetings  were  common  in  the  country  con- 
gregations of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  those  days. 
One  was  held  here  in  October,  1831,  at  which  five  or 
six  preachers  were  present,  viz:  Revs.  P.  J.  Sparrow, 
Thomas  Espy,  Wm.  A.  Hall,  Henry  N.  Pharr,  Stephen 
Frontis,  and  probably  Mr.  Eockridge.  The  preaching 
in  the  old  log  church  and  the  meetings  at  the  tents  for 
prayer,  praise  and  exhortation,  vividly  impressed  the 
youthful  mind  of  the  writer,  who  was  present,  and 
were,  doubtless,  the  source  of  much  good  to  all  who 
participated. 


(7) 


In  1833— during  Mr.  Lockridge's  pastorate— steps 
were  taken  to  build  a  new  house  of  worship,  and  the 
old  meeting  house,  (probably  the  first  one  ever  erected, 
and  still  standing  in  1792,  inside  of  the  graveyard,  as 
now  enclosed)  was  removed,  and  with  it  the  pulpit 
canopied  by  its  sounding  board,  and  fronted  by  the 
desk  of  the  precentor,  who  led  the  music,  passed  away 
forever;  and  the  present  more  commodious  brick  edifice 
was  erected.  Jacob  Krider,  William  B.  Wood,  Moses 
Graham,  Jesse  D.  Johnston  and  Abel  Graham  were 
appointed  to  raise  funds,  and  contract  for  the  building. 
The  original  subscription  paper  is  still  preserved,  and 
shows  amounts  pledged,  ranging  from  one  to  one  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  brick  was  made  by  the  congregation 
near  Mrs.  Baker's  mill,  on  land  now  owned  by  Mr.  John 
W.  Steele,  and  the  church  was  completed  and  opened 
for  worship  in  1835. 

In  February,  1837,  the  congregation  secured  the 
services  of  the  Rev.  J.  M.  H.  Adams,  for  the  whole  of  his 
time.  Mr.  Adams  was  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and 
at  that  time  a  member  of  Morganton  Presbytery,  in 
this  State.  His  pastorate  continued — with  an  exception 
of  a  brief  interval,  when  he  removed  to  Asheville — until 
1851,  when  he  returned  to  the  bounds  of  Bethel  Pres- 
bytery, in  his  native  State,  where  he  died  several  years 
afterwards.  Mr.  Adams  occupied  a  warm  place  in  the 
hearts  of  the  Third  Creek  people;  and  such  was  the 
anxiety  for  his  return  from  Asheville,  that  the3r  sent 
their  wagons  all  the  way  to  that  town  and  reinstated 
him  and  his  family  here,  free  of  any  expense  to  him.  He 
was  regarded  by  all  as  a  genial  and  social  gentleman, 
and  a  gifted  and  eloquent  preacher. 

In  September,  1838,  the  Synod  of  North  Carolina 
met  in  this  church.  This  event  is  an  epoch  in  its  history, 
and  is  gratefully  remembered  by  those — few  indeed — 
who  are  still  spared.  The  Rev.  Stephen  Frontis  was 
Moderator,  and  Abel  Graham  the  elder  from  this 
church.  In  the  fall  of  1847  another  camp  meeting,  and 
the  last  one  remembered,  was  held  here.  This  was 
about  the  time  of  Mr.  Adams'  temporary  removal  to 
Asheville.  It  was,  doubtless,  productive  of  much  good, 
but  particulars  cannot  be  given,  as  the  writer  was  ab- 
sent from  the  State  at  the  time,  and  but  little  is  remem- 
bered of  what  transpired  by  the  few  who  survive. 


(8) 


During  the  first  six  months  of  1852,  the  church,  in 
connection  with  Fifth  Creek,  was  supplied  by  Rev.  E. 
L.  Cochran,  a  licentiate,  from  Virginia. 

In  May,  1853,  the  Rev.  S.  B.  O.  Wilson,  having  re- 
signed his  Professorship  in  Davidson  College,  became 
joint  pastor  of  this  church  and  Fifth  Creek.  He  settled 
in  Iredell  count}-,  on  "the  Hayne's  place,"  now  owned 
by  Mr.  George  F.  Shepherd.  During  the  latter  part  of 
his  pastorate,  this  church  secured  all  his  time.  The 
church  prospered  greatly  under  his  ministrations.  In 
October,  1854,  twenty-six  additions,  white  and  colored, 
were  made  to  the  church.  When  he  left,  September, 
1860,  for  another  field  of  labor  in  Tennessee,  ourchurch 
membershig  reached  273 — its  highest  number.  This 
venerable  father  still  lives  and  preaches  occasionally. 
Full  of  faith  and  good  works,  he  calmly  awaits  the 
summons  to  rest  from  his  labors. 

During  three  vears  immediately  following  Mr.  Wil- 
son's removal,  we  were  supplied,  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  time,  by  the  Rev.  G.  D.  Parks,  now  in  Mecklen- 
burg Presbyter  v. 

In  the  year  1863,  the  Rev.  G.  R.  Brackett,  D.  D., 
then  a  licentiate  from  South  Carolina,  accepted  an  invi- 
tation to  visit  us.  During  the  following  year  he  be- 
came pastor  of  this  church  and  Unity.  Our  call  was 
for  three-fourths  of  his  time;  and  during  those  war  times, 
we  promised  "Tour  hundred  dollars  to  be  paid  in  bread- 
stuffs  at  old  priees."  He  remained  with  us  until  April, 
1867,  when  he  was  dismissed  to  Harmony  Presbyteiw, 
South  Carolina. 

From  1867  to  1869,  inclusive,  we  were  supplied,  in 
connection  with  Unity,  by  the  Rev.  W.  A.  Wood,  D.  D. 
Those  were  times  of  unrest  and  apprehension,  and  con- 
tequently  of  great  change.  Most  of  our  colored  mem- 
bers— and  they  were  numerous — withdrew,  as  they  did 
from  other  churches,  to  organizations  of  their  own.  A 
large  number  also,  of  our  own  white  communicants 
removing  to  States ville  and  other  towns,  about  or 
shortly  after  the  time  Mr.  Wood  left,,  greatly  weakened 
us.  But  we  were  still  left,  considering  the  times,  in  a 
reasonably  prosperous  condition. 

And  here,  we  wish  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
at  the  installation  of  Deacons,  which,  if  we  remember 
correctly,  took  place,  for  the  first  time,  in  1869,  a  reso- 


(9) 


lution,  introduced  by  the  writer,  was  adopted  in  a  con- 
gregational meeting,  declaring  "that  Deacons  and 
their  successors  in  office  shall  also  be  ex  officio,  the 
Trustees  of  the  church."  This  fact  is  not  a  matter  of 
record,  but  is  important  in  a  legal  point  of  view. 

From  1870  to  1873  the  church  was  supplied,  occa- 
sionally, by  licentiates  and  other  invited  ministers,  but 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  time  by  Rev.  E.  F.  Rockwell* 
D.  D.  In  October  of  the  latter  year  Rev.  J.  B.  Mack,  D. 
D.,  held  a  protracted  meeting  here,  which  greatly  re- 
vived the  church,  and  resulted  in  the  addition  of  46 
members  to  our  roll  of  communicants. 

In  the  fall  of  1873,  the  Rev.  R.  W.  Boyd,  from  South 
Carolina,  visiting  this  church  and  Unity,  accepted  calls 
from  them  and  in  1874  became  their  joint  pastor.  He 
continued  as  such,  until  1878,  when  he  withdrew  to 
Franklin  and  Unity. 

During  the  next  four  years,  from  1879  to  1882,  in- 
clusive, the  Rev.  A.  L.  Crawford  gave  us  half  of  his 
time,  as  stated  supply.  Residing  in  Mocks ville,  he  di- 
vided the  other  half  between  that  church  andBethesda. 
During  a  protracted  meeting  held  here  in  the  fall  of 
1879,  conducted  almost  entirely  by  Mr.  Crawford,  68 
names  were  added  to  our  roll  of  communicants — the 
largest  number,  remembered  by  us,  as  the  result  of  any 
one  meeting,  held  at  any  time,  in  this  church. 

In  October,  1883,  Rev.  A.  Walker  White  accepted  a 
calj  from  this  church  and  Fifth  Creek,  and  remained 
until  January,  1887,  when  he  removed  to  Texas.  During 
his  pastorate  a  neat  and  comfortable  manse  was  erect- 
ed by  this  congregation,  at  Elmwood,  on  a  lot  gener- 
ously donated  hy  Mr.  Geo.  F.  Shepherd. 

In  December,  1887,  Mr.  White  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
T.  J.  Allison,  who,  in  addition  to  Third  and  Fifth  Creek, 
became  Pastor  also  of  the  new  church,  Elmwood,  be- 
sides preaching  occasionally  at  the  new  chapel  at 
Cleveland.  In  May,  1891,  he  removed  to  Georgia,  to 
enter  upon  evangelistic  work  in  Savannah  Presbytery. 

Our  present  Pastor,  the  Rev.  R.  S.  Arrowood,  com- 
menced his  labors  in  the  field  left  vacant  by  Mr.  Allison, 
August  1st,  1891. 

It  thus  appears  that  during  the  past  one  hundred 
years,  Third  Creek  has  had  eight  regular  Pastors,  who 
have  preached,  as  such,  seventy-seven  years,  an  average 


(10) 

of  nearly  ten  (9%)  years  to  each.  About  thirteen  of 
the  remaining  \^ears  were  taken  up  by  stated  supplies, 
and  the  remaining  ten  by  invited  ministers  and  ap- 
pointees of  Presbytery.  And  it  is  not  believed  that 
any  entire  year  of  the  past  hundred  has  passed  without 
more  or  less  preaching  in  this  church.  For  all  of  which 
let  us  thank  God  and  take  courage. — Acts  xxvm — 15. 
Ruling  Elders. 

For  reasons  already  given,  it  is  not  positively 
known  who  were  the  first  Elders  in  this  church.  The 
tradition  that  Andrew  Morrison,  to  whom  allusion  has 
been  made,  was  one  of  the  very  first  seems  to  be  well 
authenticated. 

There  is  a  tradition  also,  among  the  descendants  of 
Samuel  Luckey,  George  Niblock  and  Thomas  Dickey, 
who,  as  we  have  seen,  acted  as  trustees  in  1792,  that 
they  were  also  Elders.  Samuel  Lucke}'  was,  probabh^, 
a  grand  uncle  of  one  of  our  present  Deacons.  •  George 
Niblock  was  the  great-grand-father  of  five  of  the  mem- 
bers of  our  church,  bearing  his  name,  and  Thomas 
Dickey  was  the  father  of  the  late  Mrs.  David  Waddell, 
and  it  is  said  was  an  active  church  man  in  his  day. 

Thomas  Porter,  who  died  in  September,  1800,  and 
whose  remains  lie  in  our  graveyard,  and  upon  whose 
tombstone  is  inscribed  the  words,  "In  whose  death  his 
family,  his  friends,  the  State  and  the  church  sustained 
a  loss,"  was  without  doubt  an  Elder,  and  as  such,  rep- 
resented this  church  in  Presbytery  when  it  met  here  in 
1797.  The  writer  feels  grateful  for  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Porter  was  his  great-grand-father  on  his  mother's  side. 

James  Graham,  whose  name  appears  on  the  records 
of  Presbytery  in  1798,  1807,  1826  and  subsequently, 
was,  in  all  probabilit}7,  the  James  Graham  known  to 
have  been  an  Elder  for  years,  time  out  of  mind,  before 
his  death,  which  occurred  in  1834.  We  allude  to  the 
father  of  Abel  and  Porter  Graham,  both  deceased,  and 
the  grand-father,  on  the  mother's  side  of  the  Rev.  R.  Z. 
Johnston,  and  the  writer.  In  1798  Mr.  Graham  was 
35  years  old,  and  if  an  Elder  then,  he  must  have  been 
one  at  the  organization  of  the  church,  or  shortly  after. 

Previous  to  the  year  1820,  the  names  of  John 
Witherspoon,  James  Rutlidge,  Benjamin  Brandon, 
John  Dickey,  James  Montgomery,  Thomas  Cowan, 
Thomas  Dickson,  Andrew  and  Robert  McNeely,  Andrew 


r 


(11) 


Knox,  and  of  others  familiar  to  us,  appear  in  the  records 
of  Presbytery,  as  Elders.  But  whether  any  of  them 
were  from  this  church,  we  have  not  been  able  to  ascer- 
tain. 

The  name  of  Robert  Johnston,  who  was  an  acting 
Elder  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  No- 
vember, 1841,  and  who  was  thev  father  of  the  Rev.  R.  Z. 
Johnston,  appears  on  the  roll  of  Presbytery,  for  the 
first  time,  in  1821,  and  that  of  Abel  Graham,  for  many 
years  clerk  of  session,  and  in  1837,  Steward  of  David- 
son College,  appears  there  likewise  in  1823.  Henry  C. 
Burke,  who  died  October  29th,  1832,  in  the  49th  year 
of  his  age,  is  known  to  have  been  an  Elder  by  those 
still  living. 

In  1834,  we  find  the  name  of  William  B.  Wood, 
the  father  of  Rev.  William  A.  Wood,  D.  D.,  and  in  1835, 
that  of  Rufus  H.  Kilpa trick,  son  of  the  Rev.  Joseph 
D.  Kilpatrick,  on  the  roll  of  Presbytery,  for  those 
3^ears.  Mr.  Kilpatrick  was  clerk  of  Session  from  1837 
to  1842,  about  which  latter  time  he  removed  to 
Alabama,  where  he  died  several  years  ago.  Mr.  Wood, 
a  useful  Elder,  and  one  of  the  substantial  men  of  the 
church,  serving  as  Treasurer  for  many  years,  succeeding 
Mr.  Kilpatrick  as  Clerk  of  Session,  and  continued  as 
such  for  nearly  twentv  vears  before  his  death,  which 
occurred  October  23rd,"  1853. 

In  addition  to  the  name^of  Messrs.  Johnston, 
Graham,  Wood  and  Kilpatrick,  just  noticed,  we  find 
also  the  names  of  Jacob  Hughey  and  Benjamin  Phifer 
recorded  in  our  church  book,  in  1837;  but  we  find  no 
record  anywhere  about  the  election  or  ordination  of 
any  of  them.  Mr.  Hughey  died  in  November,  1855, 
and  Mr.  Phifer  in  November,  1882.  These  fathers  served 
their  church  and  generation  well,  and  were,  in  many 
respects,  models  of  prudence,  modestv  and  piety. 

In  1842,  Jacob  Krider,  father  of  Rev.  B.  S.  Krider, 
deceased,  Matthew  L.  Steele  and  Aaron  V.  Cowan  were 
added  to  the  Eldership.  These  faithful  fathers  have  also 
fallen  "on  sleep."  Mr.  Steele  died  January,  1846,  Mr. 
Cowan  January,  1850,  and  Mr.  Krider  October,  1874, 
at  the  advanced  age  of  86  years. 

In  1846,  Thomas  A.  Burke  and  Rufus  M.  Rose- 
borough  were  elected  and  ordained.  Mr.  Burke — a  wise 
and  prudent  counsellor — after  serving  about  twenty-two 


(12) 

years,  removed  with  his  family  to  Statesville  in  1868, 
where  he  died  November,  1881.  He  never  removed  his 
membership  from  Third  Creek,  and  his  remains  lie,  with 
those  of  his  fathers,  in  our  graveyard.  Mr.  Rose- 
borough  was  a  graduate  from  our  State  University,  in 
the  class  of  1832.  His  capacity  for  usefulness  was 
great,  and  was  modestly  and  efficiently  used.  He  acted 
as  clerk  of  Session  for  about  sixteen  years  previous  to 
his  temporary  removal  to  Lenoir.  He  served  as  an 
Elder  about  thirty-two  }rears,  and  at  his  death,  which 
occurred  January  30th,  1878,  he  left  valuable  manu- 
scripts which  have  enabled  us,  as  we  trust,  to  rescue 
much  of  the  history  of  our  church  from  oblivion. 

In  1854,  John  D.  Johnston  and  James  G.  Ramsay, 
M.  D.,  were  elected  and  ordained.  It  has  pleased  a  kind 
Providence  to  spare  us  in  this  official  capacity  lor 
nearly  thirty-eight  years.  Mr.  Johnston,  we  regret  to 
say,  on  account  of  bodily  infirm^,  has  not  been  able  to 
meet  with  the  Session  more  than  once  or  twice  for  sev- 
eral years  past,  but  we  are  all  glad  to  see  him  able  to 
be  present  with  us  to-day. 

In  1866,  John  E.  Poston  and  William  L.  Steele 
were  added  to  our  number.  Mr.  Poston — an  earnest 
and  good  man — removed  to  Statesville,  and  died  there 
shortly  afterwards,  on  the  21st  of  August,  1876.  His 
remains  are  also  interred  here.  Upon  the  temporary 
removal  of  Mr.  Roseborough  to  Lenoir  in  1870,  Mr. 
Steele  was  chosen  clerk  of  Session,  and  served  in  that 
capacity  about  fourteen  years. 

In  1884,  Robert  N.  Fleming,  John  H.  Carson  and 
Benj.  F.  Phifer  were  elected  and  installed,  and,  Mr. 
Steele  resigning  his  position  as  clerk,  Mr.  R.  N.  Fleming 
was  chosen  to  fill  it.    The  Session,  at  present,  consists  of 

John  Dickey  Johnston,  1854. 

James  Graham  Ramsav,  " 

William  Locke  Steele,  Sr.,  1866. 

Robert  Nesbit  Fleming,  Clerk,  1884. 

John  Houston  Carson,  " 

Benjamin  Franklin  Phifer,  " 
Trustees  and  Deeds. 

Our  church  records  do  not  show  who  were  Trustees 
until  the  time  when  the  office  of  Trustee  was  consoli- 
dated with  that  of  the  Deacon.  This  was  probably 
due  to  the  fact  that  the  former  was  considered  a  secular 


(13) 


rather  than  a  religious  office.  Hence,  the  earlier  Trus- 
tees seem  to  have  been  appointed  by  those  making 
deeds  to  the  congregation,  and  hence  also,  when  the 
congregation  came  to  choose  Trustees,  persons  were 
sometimes  selected  who  were  not  members  of  thechurch. 

That  it  may  be  seen  who  have  acted  as  Trustees,  it 
is  necessary  to  resume  our  narrative  of  deeds,  as  these 
alone  show  who  the  Trustees  have  been. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  recur  to  the  deed  made  by 
Samuel  Young  in  1792,  except  to  note  the  fact  that 
Samuel  Luckey,  George  Niblock  and  Thomas  Dickey 
acted  as  Trustees  bv  his  appointment. 

In  1817,  "Caleb  Webb,  son  of  Daniel  Webb,"  deeded 
one  quarter  of  an  acre  of  land,  adjoining  that  deeded 
by  Samuel  Young,  to  William  Gay,  Robert  Johnston, 
and  Benjamin  Knox,  as  Trustees. 

In  1825,  a  deed  for  two  and  a  half  acres,  was  made 
by  Samuel  Young,  a  descendant  of  the  Samuel  Young 
who  made  the  deed  in  1792,  to  Robert  Johnston,  Henry 

C.  Burke,  John  Waddell,  Joseph  Chambers  and  Abel 
Graham,  as  Trustees. 

In  1834,  two  deeds,  one  for  seven-tenths  of  an  acre, 
and  the  other  for  three  and  eight-tenths  acres,  wrre 
made  by  W.  B.  Wood  to  Matthew  L.  Steele,  Wm.  P. 
Graham,  William  Burke,  Lemuel  D.  Johnston  and 
Joseph  Chambers,  Trustees,  not,  it  will  be  observed,  as 
Trustees,  as  in  the  foregoing  deeds. 

In  1841,  John  Irvin  deeded  three  and  three-fourths 
acres,  to  Matthew  L.  Steele,  Wm.  P.  Graham,  Joseph 
Chambers,  Joseph  Irvin  and  William  Burke,  Trustees. 

"In  1846,  John  W.  Johnston  and  his  wife,  Eliza,  deeded 
two  and  a  half  acres  and  twenty-six  square  poles,  to 
David  Waddell,  Wm.  P.  Graham,  Joseph  Irvin,  Moses 

D.  Kilpa trick,  John  Luckey,  Silas  Phifer  and  Rufus  D. 
Johnston,  Trustees. 

In  1884,  George  F.  Shepherd  and  his  wife,  Mary  L., 
donated  one  acre,  lying  in  Elmwood,  to  John  G.  Flem- 
ing, John  W.  Steele,  William  A.  Luckey,  John  N.  Phifer 
and  Robert  N.  Fleming,  "Deacons  and  Trustees." 

In  1887,  a  donation  of  three  acres,  adjoining  and 
lying  north  of  our  other  church  lands,  was  made  by 
Joseph  C.  Irvin  and  his  wife,  M.  Kate,  of  States ville, 
to  John  W.  Steele,  William  A.  Luckey,  John  M.  Cowan, 


(14) 


Julius  A.  Lyerly,  J.  A.  Wolfe  and  J.  N.  Phifer,  "Trustees 
and  officers." 

These  deeds  and  donations  secure  to  the  church 
about  twenty  acres,  all  tying  in  a  body,  except  one  acre 
in  Elm  wood. 

We  have  not  been  able  to  learn  the  names  of  all 
who  acted  as  Trustees,  during  the  3'ears  intervening 
the  execution  of  these  deeds,  but  it  is  known  that  J.  D. 
Johnston.  J.  G.  Ramsay,  M.  D.,  J.  K.  Graham,  Wm.  P. 
Burke,  and  perhaps  others,  served  part  of  the  time. 

Deacons. 

In  the  year  1869,  when  the  office  of  Trustee  was 
combined  with  that  of  the  Deacon,  by  the  vote  of  the 
congregation,  above  noted,  John  G.  Fleming,  Charles 
C.  Krider,  John  W.  Steele,  John  N.  Morgan  and  William 
F.  Hall  were  elected,  ordained  and  installed  Deacons 
and  Trustees.  In  1877,  William  A.  Luckey,  John  N. 
Phifer  and  Robert  N.  Fleming  were  added,  Messrs. 
Hall  and  Morgan  having  removed  to  Statesville,  and 
Mr.  Krider  to  Salisbury,  (where  he  died  recently)  and 
Mr.  Robert  N.  Fleming,  being  transferred  to  the  elder- 
ship, Messrs.  J.  A.  Lyerly,  J.  M.  Cowan,  and  J.  A.  WTolfe 
were  also  added  in  1884.  Mr.  Wolfe  having  withdrawn 
to  Elmwood,  and  Mr.  John  G.  Fleming  and  Mr.  Cowan 
and  Phifer  having  passed  over  the  river  to  their  reward, 
Mr.  J.  W.  Foster,  who  had  been  a  member  and  Deacon 
in  Fifth  Creek  Church,  was  elected  and  installed  in 
February  of  this  year,  1892. 

The  Diaconate,  at  present,  consists  of 

John  Wilson  Steele,  1869. 

William  Anderson  Lucky,  Jr.,  1877. 

Julius  Alexander  Lyerly,  1884. 

James  Washington  Foster,  1892. 

Territory  and  Churches. 

So  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  learn,  Third  Creek 
was  the  only  church  of  any  denomination  between 
Thyatira  and  Bethany,  and  Fourth  Creek,  Old  Unity 
and  Joppa,  in  1792.  Third  Creek,  Unity  and  Joppa 
were  organized  about  the  same  time.  Joppa,  now 
called  Mocksville,  was  situated  about  one  mile  north- 
west of  that  town.  Old  Unity,  now  called  Unity,  was, 
until  1800,  when  it  was  removed,  situated  about  four 
miles  east  of  its  present  location.    Third  Creek  was  cut 


(15) 


off  from  Thyatira,  Fourth  Creek  and  Bethany,  and 
embraced  all  the  territory,  within  the  above  designated 
limits.  At  present  there  are  within  those  limits  four 
white  and  four  colored  Presbyterian  churches,  not  in- 
cluding Third  Creek  itself,  and  the  new  chapel  at  Cleve- 
land. Also,  one  Episcopal,  one  Methodist,  one  Lutheran 
and  two  Baptist  white  churches,  and  three  Methodist 
colored  churches — sixteen  in  all  of  different  evangelical 
denominations,  and  so  far  as  the  white  and  colored 
churches  are  concerned,  of  different  ecclesiastical  connec- 
tions. Adding  the  colored  to  the  white  Presbyterian, 
and  including  Third  Creek  and  Cleveland  Chapel — 
which  will  doubtless,  soon  become  an  organized  church 
— we  have  now  ten  churches  of  the  Presb}7terian  faith, 
where  we  only  had  one  a  hundred  years  ago.  An  addition 
of  only  one  church  to  our  number  every  ten  years, 
shows  a  rate  of  progress  sufficiently  deliberate. 

Ministers — Children  of  the  Church. 

It  will  strike  every  reflecting  mind,  as  one  of  the 
more  important  statements  of,  this  narrative,  that 
eight  Presbyterian  ministers  of  the  Gospel  have  gone 
out  from  this  congregation,  having  belonged  to  its 
membership  or  been  born  within  its  limits.  Their 
names  are  Josiah  J.  and  Abner  Kirkpatrick,  Robert  A. 
and  Thomas  P.  Johnston,  William  H.  Johnston,  Barna- 
bas S.  Krider,  William  A.  Wood,  D.  D.,  and  Robert  Z. 
Johnston. 

Only  two  of  these,  Dr.  Wood  and  Rev.  R.  Z.  John- 
ston, are  still  living,  and  permitted  to  participate  with 
us  on  this  interesting  occasion.  It  would  be  edifving 
and  inspiring  to  trace  the  lives  of  those  who  have 
passed  away,  and  to  lay  a  fresh  wreath  upon  their 
graves,  but  that  is  impossible.  The  remains  of  only 
one  of  them — the  lamented  Krider — about  whose  mem- 
ory many  tender  emotions  still  cling,  lie  in  the  same 
enclosure,  with  those  ot  the  venerated  father  Kilpatrick. 
Wherever  those  of  the  others  lie,  we  believe  they  have 
only  fallen  asleep,  to  rise  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just. 

But  important  and  edifying  as  these  statements 
may  be,  it  might  be  more  important  still  to  inquire,  if 
time  would  permit,  why  it  is,  that  all  of  these  ministers 
went  out  from  us  during  the  first  seventy  of  the  past 
hundred  years,  and  none  during  the  past  thirty? 


(16) 
Characteristics . 

Practical  piety  and  devotion  to  the  church  were,  pre- 
eminently, characteristic  of  the  great  majority  of  the 
members  of  this  church,  in  the  past  and  preceeding  gen- 
erations. With  them,  private,  family  and  public  prayer, 
was  the  rule.  Catechetical  instruction  of  children  and 
colored  servants,  was  not  neglected,  especially  on  the 
Sabbath.  The  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath  w^as  strictly  ob- 
served, and  visiting  on  that  day.  except  among  near 
relatives,  or  to  relieve  the  sick,  was  neither  approved 
nor  practiced.  The  Sabbath  School,  the  Bible  class, 
and  monthly  concert  for  prayer  were  faithfully  attended 
by  young  and  old ;  while  scarcely  any  stress  of  weather 
prevented  a  large  attendance  of  women  and  children, 
men  and  boys,  from  the  remotest  parts  of  the  congre- 
gation, wThenever  the  church  was  opened  for  preaching, 
prayer  or  praise. 

Once  or  twice  a  year,  generalry  before  communion 
seasons,  the  roads  leading  to  the  church,  the  church 
itself,  the  graveyard,  and  the  arbor  and  stand  where 
services  wTere  held  when  the  congregation  was  too  large, 
to  be  seated  in  the  church,  were  all  repaired,  cleaned  up 
and  put  in  order.  The  galleries  of  the  church  were  gen- 
erally well  filled  with  colored  people  on  the  Sabbath, 
and  especially  on  communion  occasions.  Communi- 
cants were  served  after  tokens  were  given,  seated  at 
long  tables,  covered  with  clean  white  linen.  The  white 
people  preceded  the  colored  in  the  order  of  communing, 
and  made  room  for  them,  without  unnecessarily  leaving 
the  church  themselves,  when  the  tables  were  served 
within  the  body  of  the  church. 

Music  was  cultivated  in  social  circles,  not  for  re- 
creation alone,  but  as  a  preparation  for  the  services  of 
the  sanctuary.  Card-pla}Ting  and  dancing  were  gener- 
olly  tabooed  by  the  more  refined  as»sensual  and  sinful. 
The  manufacture  of  whiskey,  and  especially  of  brandy, 
was  common,  but  indulgence  in  the  use  of  spiritous 
liquors  seldom  went  to  the  point  of  hilarity.  Their 
manufacture  and  the  morning  dram  and  social  glass 
became  less  common  until,  eventually,  entire  absti- 
nence became  the  rule  with  the  more  exemplary  church 
members. 

Schools  and  academies,  taught  by  the  best  of 
scholars — by  such  Pastors  as  Kilpatrick  and  Adams, 


(17) 


and  such  instructors  as  Profs.  M.  D.  Johnston  and 
Archibald  Neely — were  well  patronized,  and  the  training 
of  the  young  men  for  the  gospel  ministry  was  regarded 
as  preparation  for  the  highest  earthly  honor. 

Encouragemen  ts . 

The  generation  of  the  past  has  done  its  work,  and 
in  the  main,  has  done  it  well.  It  has  placed  us  on 
high,  vantage  ground ;  but  it  has  not  done  our  work. 
Each  generation  has  its  own  special  and  peculiar  work 
to  do,  else  one  generation  would  not  pass  away  and 
another  come.  The  blessings  of  men,  churches  and 
nations  are  conditioned  upon  activity  and  fidelity.  The 
slothful  come  to  want ;  the  unfaithful  to  grief.  If  we 
would  do  our  work,  and  do  it  well,  we  must  be  up  and 
at  it  to-day,  for  perhaps  to-morrow,  certainly  the  third 
day,  we  must  "go  hence." 

As  a  church,  it  is  true  that  we  have  lost  many  valu- 
able members  by  death  and  removals  since  the  late 
war.  The  names  of  the  Waddells,  Chambers,  Bran- 
dons, Kerrs,  Postons,  Burkes,  Halls,  Irvins,  Kriders 
and  others  have  nearly  or  entirely  disappeared  from 
our  church  roll.  But  we  do  not  despond.  Our  loss  has 
been  the  gain  of  the  other  churches.  We  have  lost,  re- 
cently, more  than  a  score  of  members  by  the  organiza- 
tion of  Elm  wood.  But  should  wre  not  rejoice  rather 
than  complain  ?  New  organizations,  when  judiciously 
located,  are  only  the  advance  guards  of  the  grand  army, 
and  their  camp-fires  light  up  the  highway  of  the  con- 
quering hosts  of  the  Lord  in  their  onward  march.  But, 
if  we  have  had  seasons  of  loneliness  and  apprehension 
we  have  had  refreshing  times  of  encouragement,  as  well. 
Times  when  sinners  flocked  to  our  sacred  portals  "as 
doves  to  their  windows,"  and  when  members,  by  the 
score,  have  been  added  to  the  church.  And,  to-day, 
with  a  church  membership  of  one  hundred  and  twenty, 
officered,  as  we  have  seen,  by  six  Elders  and  four  Dea- 
con*?, all  under  the  leadership  of  a  faithful  Pastor;  with 
a  Home  Missionary  Society  of  men,  and  a  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  of  women,  with  a  Sabbath  School 
for  children  and  adults,  with  the  inspiring  memories  of 
the  past,  and  above  all,  with  the  promises  of  a  cove- 
nant-keeping God  to  sustain  and  cheer,  we  have  the 
capacity  for  much  good,  and  the  highest  incentives  to 
go  forward.    "Let  us  then  not  be  weary  in  well  doing, 


(18) 


for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap  if  we  faint  not." — 
Gal.  vi:10. 

And  now,  may  "the  Lord  our  God  be  with  us  as  he 
was  with  our  fathers ;  let  him  not  leave  us,  nor  forsake 
u<;  that  He  may  incline  our  hearts  unto  Him,  to  walk 
i  i  all  His  ways  and  to  keep  His  commandments,  and 
His  statutes,  and  His  judgments,  which  he  commanded 
our  fathers."— i  Kings  vni:57-8. 


Third  Creek  Church,  May  13,  1892. 

The  centennial  exercises,  held  in  the  church  to-day.  were  com- 
menced with  singing  by  the  choir,  reading  of  the  scriptures  by  the 
Pastor,  Rev.  R.  S.  Arrowood,  prayer  by  the  Rev.  W.  R.  McLelland, 
and  an  address  of  welcome  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Johnston. 

The  historic  sketch,  prepared  by  Dr.  J.  G.  Ramsay,  and  herewith 
published,  by  request  of  the  session,  was  then  read  by  him.  The 
Rev.  W.  A.  Wood.  D.  D.,  of  Statesville,  who  was  born  and  raised  in 
this  congregation,  followed  in  a  short  address,  devoted  mainh',  to 
a  resume  of  the  early  impressions  made  upon  his  mind  when  a  boy 
attending  this  church — the  unusual  dignity,  gravity  and  politeness  of 
the  older  members ;  the  zeal,  piety  and  reverence  manifested  in  their 
worship  and  every  day  life,  and  the  readiness  with  which  they  re- 
sponded to  the  calls  of  duty.  He  touched  also  upon  some  of  the  more 
important  events  connected  with  the  history  of  the  church,  notabW, 
to  the  meeting  of  Synod  here  in  1838,  and  to  the  eloquent  sermon  of 
the  Rev.  John  Breckenridge  and  its  substantial  results  on  that 
occasion. 

Recess  being  announced,  the  large  audience  of  perhaps  a  thous- 
and persons,  repaired  to  the  grove  and  partook  of  an  ample  and 
elegant  public  dinner. 

The  afternoon  exercises  embraced  addresses  by  the  Rev.  R.  Z. 
Johnston,  of  Lincolnton,  who  was  also  born  and  raised  in  the  con- 
gregation, and  the  Rev.  R.  S.  Arrow  >od.  Mr.  Johnston  traced  the 
early  settlement  of  this  State  by  French  refugees;  the  Protestant 
principles  introduced  here  by  them  ;  the  amalgamation  of  their  doc- 
trines with  those  of  the  Scotch  Irish  and  Welsh,  who  afterwards 
settled  here,  and  their  propagation  to  the  present  day.  He  then 
showed  what  Presbvterianism  had  done,  and  what'  it  could  do — the 
purity  and  conservatism  of  its  safe-guards,  and  the  strength  it  had 
in  its  Eldership. 

Mr.  Arrowood  followed — treating  mainly  but  briefly,  of  the 
spirit  of  unrest  pervading  the  country,  the  various  causes  assigned  for 
it,  and  the  only  sovereign  remedy,  which  is,  "to  brin<^  the  practice  of 
the  world  into  conformity  to  the  teachings  of  divine  revelation." 
The  choir  then  sang  "God  be  with  you  till  we  meet  again,"  and  the 
exercises  were  closed  with  prayer  and  benediction  by  the  Pasto r. 

The  weather  was  fine;  the  music  good;  the  order  excellent;  the 
speeches  appropriate  anl  edifying;  the  reunions  numerous  and  joyous; 
and  the  occasion  altogether  too  memorable  to  be  soon  forgotten. 

J.  B.  Johnston,  Secretary. 


Date  Due 

 —  _  

-jNn  1  &  "418 

- 

i 

1 



! 

Form  335.    45M  8-37. 

N.C.  Religious  pamphlets 


N.C.     204    Z99     1360-99    v. 2 

Nos.1-13  343074 


